


It Could be Enough

by TheClassics4



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, angsty angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-04
Updated: 2013-02-04
Packaged: 2017-11-28 03:57:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/670012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheClassics4/pseuds/TheClassics4
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Belle finds out she is pregnant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It Could be Enough

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my take on the Rumbelle baby. Please don't hate me.

Belle had been acting strange the past few weeks. She’d never been an overly emotional woman, but lately, she was angry at him for the smallest things, and then would cry for an hour when he apologized.  She shut herself away most days, telling him she wanted to be left alone. Hesitantly, he complied.

That day, she’d come out of the room for breakfast already dressed for the day.

“Morning,” he said, weary of moving to embrace her. But she slipped her arms around him and kissed him on the lips.

“Morning,” she said back and moved to pour herself some tea.

Rumpelstiltskin thought for a moment of what he should say. Asking if she felt better would make her angry. Pointing out that she had gotten dressed early might make her angry. Asking if she wanted him to get her toast ready might make her angry. So he leaned against the counter, “You…look nice this morning.”

When she smiled, he sighed. “Thank you. I’m going to the doctor today.”

“Oh,” he said, not meeting her eyes.

“I know, I’ve been moody lately,” she chuckled and took his hand. “And you’ve been amazing about it. But something is not right.”

“It’ll be good to have you—” he stopped himself. “Good. Do what you need to.”

Belle really was in a good mood today. She laughed again and squeezed his hand, “I’m sorry for being so…horrible.”

“Oh, no. Sweetheart, I would never think you were horrible.”

Her smile widened and she kissed him, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he said, kissing her again and hugging her closely. He could taste the tea on her lips, but she slithered from his arms.

“I have to be there in ten minutes,” she said, as if apologizing for leaving him. “I’ll see you at lunch.”

He looked after her and it suddenly dawned on him.

***

Belle was grateful Rumpel was so understanding. She had no idea what was going on with her and he must be even more confused. She didn’t want to admit it, but she knew something was _wrong_. Perhaps it was stress that was throwing her body so out of sync, but she had to get it fixed. She could barely live with herself, let alone expect Rumpel to live with her.

And he was so close too. The search for his son was slow, but it was paying off. She couldn’t have him worrying about her when he needed to focus on finding Baelfire.

She was called in immediately to the doctor’s office and given forms to fill out. They were only half way completed by the time Dr. Whale entered. He typed quietly away on his computer while she finished.

“So,” he said, taking them. “You’re having mood swings?”

Belle nodded, “Yeah.”

“Any nausea or breast tenderness?” he asked, making Belle pause.

“What?” Even if he was the doctor, she was not comfortable answer that kind of question.

“Have you.”

“Nausea, yes.”

His eyes narrowed ever so slightly, but he turned back to his computer. “And when did you last menstruate?”

“ _What_?” she snapped. Were the doctors here always so intrusive? He had no right to ask about such a private thing.

“You left it blank,” he said indicating the forms.

“That’s private,” she said. But she thought back. It had been a while. It had been almost a month and a half, but that wasn’t unusual. Her blood never came regularly and she’d stopped paying attention to when it came.

“Belle,” he said, turning to her. “You’ve been living with Mr. Gold…these symptoms indicate that you are most likely pregnant.”

Words failed her. No. She couldn’t be pregnant. Every time they were intimate, Gold wore one of those latex covers. He had said it would prevent this. “I…can’t be.”

“You’ve been intimate with him?”

Belle blushed deeply, but she nodded.  “But he…he wears…”

“Ah yes, well, condoms are not 100 percent effective,” Whale stood and took a syringe from the cabinet. The name ‘condom’ made her flush darker and she couldn’t meet his eyes when he sat beside her on a stool.“We’ll do some blood work to make sure, but I’m fairly certain.”

Numbly, she sat while he stuck the needle into her arm. It was like she couldn’t even feel the pain. When it was over, he patted her on the shoulder and told her he would call.

She managed to arrive back at home, though she didn’t remember how she got there. With a hand on her stomach, she collapsed onto the nearest armchair. She couldn’t even fathom that a child was now growing inside her.

Yes, she had been told all her life that she would someday be a mother, but Belle had never actually thought of that day. It seemed years and years off. She thought of the future, but when she pictured it, she saw herself and Rumpelstiltskin. They were on an adventure to find his son. They were back in the Dark Castle, but she could leave when she wanted. She could explore the lands around his kingdom. They lived together and travelled together and perhaps he still made deals—still had magic—but he was a better man. He was good.

How would a child fit into that picture?

How would _Belle: The Mother_ fit into that picture?

Children needed to be nurtured. They needed stable homes and a mother present in their lives. At all times. For years. In this land, children spent even longer under their parents’ care.

And she knew that she wouldn’t be able to go with Rumpel when he left for his deals. She’d grown up with maids and nurses, and she would not doom a child to that for anything. Her entire life had been spent looking to women who cared nothing of her. It was a horrible feeling to think your mother never cared for you. She was the mother and she would stay home with the child.

Belle looked down, realizing she’d been clenching the material at her stomach and she slowly relaxed her fingers.

She’d had her adventure. She’d gone with Mulan and she had had the adventure she’d always wanted. That was enough. She didn’t need to see this land as well. She could stay home and be a mother. She could give that up. The life she would have could be happy; she could have Rumpelstiltskin, their child and Bae. They would be a family.

Belle did want to see this world. She’d spent 28 years here and spent every second of it locked in a basement, but she supposed that was what books were for. Books could tell her what she wanted to know. She didn’t _need_ to see it herself. Not when there was a child who would need her home. Reading would have to be enough.

Even as she thought it, she could feel tears stinging behind her eyes. Reading would have to be enough. Rumpel could tell her of his travels and his deal makings too. That could be enough. He was a fantastic storyteller and would tell her anything she wanted to know of the world. She didn’t need to see it herself.

A sound at the door startled her out of her thoughts and she scrambled to her feet, wiping at her eyes. Rumpelstiltskin entered, carrying a bushel of balloons. They all said congratulations and in the other arm he held a heart shaped box.

“You were late for lunch,” he said, sheepishly as he handed her the chocolates.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he pushed the balloons into her hand and beamed at her. “I might have used a bit of magic… to satisfy a curiosity.”

“So…I am?”

“Oh, Belle,” he said, pulling her into his arms.

He was sniffling for a different reason. He was so happy about this and when he tried to pull back, she held onto him. She couldn’t let him see. So she swallowed back her tears and finally released him. Rumpel was smiling through the tears in his eyes and he kissed her, deeply.

It didn’t matter anymore how much she wanted adventure. The child was the only thing that mattered now and she would do the right thing for it. She would be a mother.


End file.
